


Solo

by akamine_chan



Category: due South
Genre: Community: ds_snippets, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-20
Updated: 2010-03-20
Packaged: 2017-10-15 15:51:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/162425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akamine_chan/pseuds/akamine_chan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The days pass, empty and quiet, and Fraser worries and sits on the floor next to Dief.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Solo

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Duet](https://archiveofourown.org/works/76229) by [spuffyduds](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spuffyduds/pseuds/spuffyduds). 



> Written for the LJ community ds_snippets.
> 
> Spuffyduds wrote _Duet_ which made me cry, a lot, and prompted this angsty flip-side. So yeah, blame her. Unbetad, and possibly overly weepy and not very good. Simplystars' wrote an angst-filled comment-snippet addition [here](http://community.livejournal.com/ds_snippets/212857.html?thread=1927033#t1927033).
> 
> Prompt: struggle

Dief stops eating a week later.

Fraser momentarily breaks through his own grief to try to coax Dief's appetite back. He buys Dief's favorite brand of wet food, setting the bowl in front of Dief's muzzle, only to have him sigh sadly and turn away. He goes down to the market and procures raw beef and chicken hearts from the butcher, purchases donuts from the bakery that Dief frequents, stoops to ordering and taking receipt of a large pepperoni pizza from a solemn Sandor. No pineapple; he doesn't think either of them could have borne it.

Dief just lies on the flannel dog bed that Ray had bought for him and ignores all of Fraser's offerings, refusing to even _try_.

The days pass, empty and quiet, and Fraser worries and sits on the floor next to Dief. He pets Dief and talks softly, gently, reminding Dief of all the good times they'd had together as a pack. He wipes his tears away and spends hours trying to convince Dief that what happened to Ray had not been his fault.

Taking care of Dief distracts Fraser from his own mourning, but his fear starts to eat at him.

He comes home to find Dief curled around one of Ray's old sweatshirts and it terrifies him. He can feel Dief drifting away, and Fraser _cannot_ bear the thought of being left alone, abandoned yet again.

His hands shake as he touches Dief, trying to keep him anchored in the _here_ and _now_. "Please—please, Dief, I need you, I can't do this alone, I _can't_ , please—" Dief whimpers softly, but won't look at him.

Fraser rests his hand on Dief's side, fingers threaded through soft fur, feeling the rise and fall of each breath, slow and growing slower, easing into sleep and _beyond_.

-fin-


End file.
